Heron Painting
Cecil Dawson Heron Painting
NOS Beautiful, original hand painted and signed 34 inches long by 24 inch wide with his depiction of ''Heron'' ( with Hummingbirds ) in the style of the Kwakuitl nation painted on canvas with inside fixed wooden frame and will be shipped as is.
This beautiful approx. early 80's painting is signed by Cecil Dawson.
Cecil only ever makes one of a kind pieces and never makes the same one twice.
Cecil also believes in not wasting anything and using and refurbishing any material he can to create his beautiful art. This acrylic painting was painted over another painting.
Herons are symbols of good luck and patience in many Native American tribes. Especially on the Northwest Coast, if Native American fishermen see a heron, it is a good sign for a successful fishing trip. In folklore, however, Heron is often portrayed as a restless loner, probably because herons in nature are solitary creatures except during breeding times. Like cranes, Indian herons are also sometimes associated with vanity and a weakness for flattery.
Born into a family of artists, Cecil Dawson began his artistic career at a very young age. His grandfather Jimmy Dick, a totem and mask carver, taught Cecil the intricacies of carving. Cecil also spent time under the tutelage of his cousin, mask carver Simon Dick. Other masters who influenced Cecil's artistic gifts were his great uncles Willie Seaweed, Henry Speck, and Dick Hawkins.
Cecil is from the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation. His father is head chief of the Mountain Goat Hunter clan and his mother comes from the Wolf clan. Cecil's cultural involvement is important to him; he is a historian and an initiated Hamatsa dancer.
Cecil's great labour of love is to replicate his family's masks and bring them back into ceremonial use once again. By doing so, he honours his cultural and traditional values. Cecil has a strong sense of propriety and will not copy from a book. His pieces are unique and to his own style, demonstrating a deeply rooted understanding of his culture.